Study of personality Essay Example for Free

Study of personality Essay There have been many theories proposed to better understand human behaviors and personality; one of these is the theory of optimal range and self-cognitive. The theory of optimal range and self-cognitive became useful in studying self-stereotyping, prejudice, self-esteem, and self-categorizing of humans and to be able to understand more about one’s identification. The Western beliefs define â€Å"self† as a unified identity which functions on its own, however, the theory of self-cognitive suggests that the â€Å"self† is actually a composition of different factors and elements, for example, an individual define himself through the people related to him such as his parents, siblings, spouses, friends, and others. Through the information about these people, an individual creates a more stable identification of himself. Being in a â€Å"group† gives a person a more definite social and personal identity. One tends to adapt the characteristics of the people around him which shape his personality as well. Moreover, a person tends to find a partner or friends which seems to resembles or almost the same as the concept of his â€Å"self†. However, these characteristics and personalities may vary through time as we meet new people and encounter different experiences. The theory of optimal range discusses the individual’s reasoning ability, judgment skills and decision-making styles according to his optimal level or age. According to it, a person comes to a point wherein he reaches his optimal level of performance to consolidation of a functional performance. For example, an individual can exert his maximum capacity or highest performance level in life in his early 20’s or 30’s, infants and old people are less functional. However, it suggests that a person’s skills and knowledge can be readily accessible if was reconstructed multiple times through range of variations in the tasks, meaning, a person doesn’t become skillful in an instant until he familiarize himself with the tasks and domains. The theory of optimal range explains how and why there are differences in people’s learning skills and capacities. The theory of optimal range and self-cognitive help us understand more about the personality differences and similarities. Although both have their own limitations, each opened the door toward more studies that aims to understand human behavior and personality development. References Valsiner, J. Connolly, K. (2003). Adult Cognitive Development: Dynamics in the Developmental Web. Handbook of Developmental Psychology. [Electronic Version] Fusher, S. Fisher, R. (1993). Conjuring Up a Self. The Psychology of Adaptation to Absurdity: Tactics of Make-Believe. [Electronic Version].

The Cast of Amontillado Essay -- Essays Papers

The Cast of Amontillado Edgar Allen Poe, born on January 19, 1809, is one of the greatest American writers of all time. â€Å"The story of Edgar Allen Poe’s life remains one of the most disputed and slandered in the pages of American biography, despite conscious attempts to revise the story and rehabilitate the life. Decadence and immorality, in the form of alcoholism, opium addiction, and his relationships with women, and prolific production, as a journalist, editor, poet, reviewer, critic, and fiction writer, have been emphasized as characterizing his brief life† (Lent 3). Poe’s many writings were greatly affected by his problems in life and his experiences. One such short story is â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† The main character, Montresor, who is vengeful, intelligent, and fakes sincerity, causes the death of Fortunato. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† starts out with Montresor, the narrator, saying, â€Å"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.† Simply by reading the first sentence of the story, it is easy to see that Montresor is vengeful and plans to get â€Å"revenge† on Fortunato. Montresor also has a coat of arms which is, â€Å"A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel,† with a motto of, â€Å"Nemo me impune lacessit,† which stands for no one attacks me with impunity. The coat of arms and the family motto both suggest retribution. The ar...

Leadership Communication Styles Inventory Essay

As a manager or leader of an organization of any kind, the power and ability to effectively lead others are in the choices made to build a healthy, motivational, and productive relationship with people on your team. We all influence others in some way, its Just that we seldom realize that we do or how we do it. Power in the workplace has traditionally been defined as force, dominance, assertiveness, strength, invincibility, and authority. In forward thinking corporations, power requires a commitment and a plan of action (Hale, 2010). Power and influence are somewhat interchangeable. Power is the capacity of a person, team, or organization to influence others. Power is not the act of changing someonws attitudes or behavior; it is only the potential to do so. You might feel powerful or think you have power over someone else, but this is not power unless you truly have the capacity to influence that person (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). One of the hardest lessons of management is that practically everything that has to be done must be done by others. Manager ¤Ã‚ ¬ws duties not only include directing employees ut controlling the budget, assets, and other Jobs within the organization as well. Leadership is the ability to get people to do what they don ¬wt want to do and like it. In other words, the core problem for leaders in any organization involves getting others to do what is required to accomplish the organization ¤es goals (Michelson). The concept of power and its application to leadership and management has gotten a bad reputation. Terms such as power hungry, abuse of power and corrupted by power have diluted powerws real use and meaning and deprived some leaders f the opportunity to understand and use various forms of power to good purposes (Wood, 2010). I like to believe people misuse their power simply because they have it and are unaware of it. When used in a positive, moral, and ethical manner, power is an excellent resource. It requires the perception of dependence, so people might gain power by convincing others that they have something of value, whether or not they actually control that resource. Consequently power exists when others believe that you control resources they want (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 010). People rely on their emotion more frequently than they realize to make decisions, so to become a more powerful influencer, it is wise to consider othews values, personality, and intelligence and express confidence in the personws ability to accomplish the Job. The type of power applied affects the type of influence the power holder has over the other person or work unit. Everyone has power and I d believe that to be a bad thing. The issue becomes what kind of power a person has and how it is used. The most powerful source is based on one osition within an organization and the authority given in that position (Wood, 2010). An abusive boss can lose respect and influence from their team members. As a leader, your influence and power are not only about getting the Job done, itws about the relationships you develop in the workplace. A supervisor on my Job is retiring in a couple ot months and it seems ner whole attitude and demeanor nas changed. She seems to be on a quest to get all the people she wants out of the company and all that she wants promoted before she leaves. The influence and respect that she once possessed is no longer apparent or given to her and the orale in the office is very low. Her tactics to get the Job done are threatening, humiliating, and demeaning for some of the employees. They are afraid to go above her for the fear of retaliation, so they wait and hope that their Jobs are safe until she retires. French and Raven, social psychologists, identified five sources of power – legitimate, coercive, reward, expert, and referent – that help the dependent person directly or indirectly achieve his or her goals. Legitimate, reward and coercive are sources of power granted formally by the organization and informally by co-workers; hey are positional powers (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). Legitimate power is an agreement among organizational members that people in certain roles can request certain behaviors of others. It depends on mutual agreement from those expected to abide by this authority (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). True and lasting power comes from being a leader worthy of respect and admiration. If you treat people with dignity and respect, you will build a trusting relationship and people will look up to you, listen to what you say, and want to be like you. Reward power derived from the person ability to control the allocation of rewards valued by others and to remove negative sanctions. Managers have power over the distribution of organizational rewards such as pay, promotions, time off, vacation schedules, and work assignments (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). This power comes with the position and can be taken away if the position is removed. Coercive power is the ability to apply punishment. Employees also have coercive power to ensure that co-workers conform to team norms (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). You have this kind of power when youwre in a position to punish others if they don ¬wt do what you want. People fear the consequences of not doing what has been asked of them. Expert and referent powers are based on an individuws personal power. These powers are based on charisma, likeability, and positive feelings the leader generates among subordinates (Wood, 2010). There is research suggesting that charismatic leadership is negatively related to harmful behaviors in the workplace. For example, transformational leadership was negatively associated with safety accidents which harisma is a large component of (Hale, 2010). These powers originate from the power holders characteristics and are power bases brought to the organization. Expert power is an individualws or work uws capacity to influence others by possessing knowledge or skills that others value (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). This power is based on what you know and will quickly gain you respect and influence in the workplace. It is all about knowing your Job and doing it well and not being afraid in learning all that you can. It could potentially be the basis for a managerial role for an employee. Referent power is a function ofa perso ¬ws interpersonal skills which allows others to identify with them, like them, or respect them and is associated with charismatic leadership (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). People are well liked and are considered role models because of their connection and concern for other people. People who are well-liked and respected nave a tremendous amount ot reterent power. A wise leader knows now and when to apply the right amount of power to influence an individual, group, or situation to move an agenda forward (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). In order to be an effective leader, a person cannot rely solely on either of these positions of power. Leading by example, offering rewards, or threatening punishments all can be used as power tools to accomplish goals, however more power can be gained by sharing it among the team in a more subtle and counterintuitive way (Wood, 2010). If you want your team to be ethical and respectful of each other, I believe the example should start from the top. Using influence tactics well requires a healthy combination of interpersonal, communication, presentation, and assertiveness techniques, verbal skills such as asserting, probing, ersisting, speaking conversationally, and willingness to ask for favors ( (Selling and Persuaion Techniques ). Influence refers to any behavior that attempts to alter someonws attitudes or behaviors (McShane, Steven L, Mary Ann Von Glinow, 2010). You may try to exert your influence through coercion and manipulation and you might even get things done but that isn ¬wt really influencing. Thatws forcing people to do what you want them to do and often against their will. Effective leaders use combinations of various strategies for different purposes under different onditions which can be classified under three categories: retribution, reciprocation, and reason (Michelson).

Essay about Blindness in Invisible Man - 1506 Words

Many people wonder what it would be like if they were to be invisible; stealthily walking around, eavesdropping on conversations, and living as if nothing is of their concern. Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison, is centred on an unnamed fictional character who believes himself to be, indeed, invisible to the rest of the world. He is not invisible in the physical sense, but socially and intellectually. As the book develops, readers are able to experience an authentic recollection of what life is as a black man living in a white man’s world. This man wants to achieve so much, but is severely limited by the colour of his skin. This novel, which has become a classic, addresses the themes of blindness in fighting stereotypes and predestined†¦show more content†¦Bledsoe, the college president, to become employed and presumably come back south to school - neither of which happens. In an attempt to display the surrounding area of the campus he mistakenly ends up driving Mr. Nor ton, a well respected man that has donated significant amounts of money to the college, into an housing area of poor black sharecroppers that had previously been slave quarters. So, Mr. Bledsoe scolds him for the incident and expresses the unexpected views, to the invisible man, to keep things the way they are so that he, Mr. Bledsoe, will remain in his powerful position. Generally, people of a certain group would encourage growth of power in society of their group. Instead of doing that however, Mr. Bledsoe says, â€Å"I’s big and black and I say ‘Yes, suh’ as loudly as any burrhead when it’s convenient, but I’m still the king down here. . . . The only ones I even pretend to please are big white folk, and even those I control more than they control me. . . . That’s my life, telling white folk how to think about the things I know about. . . . It’s a nasty deal and I don’t always like it myself. . . . But I’ve made my pl ace in it and I’ll have every Negro in the country hanging on tree limbs by morning if it means staying where I am† (Ellison 145-146). Ultimately, this view means tearing down his own race inShow MoreRelatedBlindness And Invisibility : The Invisible Man1401 Words   |  6 PagesBlindness and invisibility are the two concepts that are discussed regardless of racism and the position one tends to manage between individuality and community. In Ellison’s The Invisible Man , he not only show the oppression of the whites over the blacks as superiors in which makes the black people invisible, but also the black’s blindness to revolve against his marginal state and his incapability to conceiving whites as individuals. Being blind of invisible is not only based on the way whichRead MoreBlindness : The Invisible Man By Ralph Ellison1413 Words   |  6 PagesThe motif of blindness is found all throughout literature. The purpose of blindness allows a character or re ader to see beyond what other characters can see. The two types of blindness are if a character is figuratively blind where the character refuses to see certain things others can see or physically blind where they have a physical trait that prevents them from seeing the reality of things. The motif of blindness is found in works of literature such as The Kite Runner. In the novel, Assef isRead More Invisible Man Essay: Race, Blindness, and Monstrosity2266 Words   |  10 PagesRace, Blindness, and Monstrosity in Invisible Man      Ã‚  Ã‚   Id like to read Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man as the odyssey of one mans search for identity.   Try this scenario: the narrator is briefly an academic, then a factory worker, and then a socialist politico.   None of these careers works out for him.   Yet the narrators time with the so-called Brotherhood, the socialist group that recruits him, comprises a good deal of the novel.   The narrator thinks hes found himself through the BrotherhoodRead MoreSight and Blindness in The Invisible Man Essay example2451 Words   |  10 PagesThroughout the novel Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison works with many different images of blindness and impaired vision and how it relates to perception. These images prove to be fascinating pieces of symbolism that enhance the themes of impression and vision within the novel. From the beginning of the novel when the narrator is blindfolded during the battle royal to the end where Brother Jacks false eye pops out, images of sight and blindness add to the meaning of many scenes and characters. In manyRead MoreCure for Blindness - Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man Essay1061 Words   |  5 PagesRalph Ellisons Invisible Man was a crucial literary tool in raising awareness of and forwarding the equal rights movement for African Americans when it reached readers of all races in the 1950s. The Cultural Contexts for Ralph Ellisons Invisible Man claims that the novel envisions nothing less than undoing African Americans cultural dispossession. Ellisons words are indeed an eloquent unraveling of social stereotypes and racisms. He employs allegorical conceptions of blindness and invisibilityRead MoreBlindness and Identity Crisis Within Invisible Man786 Words   |  4 PagesEllison s chapter 1 of Invisible Man depicts a sad but all too common reality for Black men in 1952 America. The unnamed main character is dehumanized and humiliated simply because he is Black, yet praised for being a good Negro. He and his classmates are first beaten down and harassed then given money as compensation for a show in which they were forced to be participants. The saddest thing is not what these white men put them through, but that these black boys, the invisible man in particular, acceptRead MoreInvisible Man1629 Words   |  7 PagesAmanda Trujillo Gianunzio English 1B 24 October 2017 Invisible Man: Impact of Invisibility and Blindness on Individual identity The themes of blindness and invisibility are evident throughout the novel. The society is blind to the behavior and characteristics of the narrator. The narrator makes himself invisible since he knows the society already sees him as an unimportant individual. The aspect of invisibility is evident throughout the novel including his aim of impressing the white, his innocenceRead MoreLoss of Identity in Invisible Man Essay1262 Words   |  6 Pages Loss of Identity in Invisible Man nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; No matter how hard the Invisible Man tries, he can never break from the mold of black society. This mold is crafted and held together by white society during the novel. The stereotypes and expectations of a racist society compel blacks to behave only in certain ways, never allowing them to act according to their own will. Even the actions of black activists seeking equality are manipulated as if they are marionettes on stringsRead MoreRevelations Of The Fictional Characters Of Ralph Ellison s Invisible Man1402 Words   |  6 PagesEllison’s Invisible Man, the main character goes through a spiritual realization just as Meursault does in Albert Camus’ The Stranger. In the Invisible Man, Dr. Bledsoe leads the protagonist astray to the fabled Harlem of New York City. Once the narrator arrives in Harlem, it becomes apparent that he was sent to Harlem as a punishment and has been permanently expelled from black college. The narrator finds himself struggling to understan d the role he must play in society as a black man. As the novelRead MoreThe Reoccurring Blues Music And The Blindness Of The Book The Song 1453 Words   |  6 PagesThe reoccurring blues music plays a significant role in the blindness of the book. In the song â€Å"Nobody Knows the Trouble I ve Seen† by Louis Armstrong, Louis sings â€Å"Sometimes I m up, sometimes I m down, ohh, yes Lord Sometimes I m almost to the ground, oh yes, Lord Nobody knows the trouble I ve seen†. The narrator claims â€Å"Perhaps I like Louis Armstrong because he s made poetry out of being invisible† (Ellison, 10). This statement by the narrator is ironic because the narrator is literally being